Sunday, November 29, 2009

Randy Seaver from Genea-Musings has assigned another fun genealogy task!

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to find which celebrities that have the same facial features that you (or someone else you choose) have. Here are the directions:

1) Go to http://www.myheritage.com/ - you don't have to be a registered member to use this feature. Click on the "Celebrities and Fun" tab.

2) Click on the "Celebrity Collage" tab, and then on the "Create my Collage" button.

3) Upload a photograph with your face (or another person's face) to the site (the face must be at least 100 x 100 pixels) and click on the "Run face recognition" button.

4) Select a collage template, and the faces (up to 8) to go into the collage template. Click on "Next" and "Preview" your template, which should bring up the template for you to review. You could click on "Save" and it would go off to your selected social networking site.

5) Figure out how to show your collage on your blog or social network site (I have my own process defined below).

6) Tell us which celebrities that you (or your selected person) look alike - write your own blog post, make a comment to this post or on Facebook.

7) Think about how you could use something like this as a Christmas gift.

I've posted my collage on Facebook as well as this blog. I know 3 of the 5 celebrities I "supposedly" look like! What I think would be interesting is how many different celebrities I can be compared to by using different photos of myself. Another interesting twist is to see what is the highest percentage match someone receives. With 72% being my highest now, I have room for improvement! I'm not sure I would not use this as a Christmas gift but I can see it being fun to add to Christmas cards!

Saturday, November 21, 2009

A change of temperature was in store for these two ladies. Wyoudia Emery, my father's step-sister and Katherine Allen, my mother's sister, are pictured together here. I am unsure of the year or exact location. However, I believe it to be around 1950 in Clifton Springs, New York.

I have several photographs that state on the back "taken before leaving for New York". That move would have been from Arkansas, around Shirley in Van Buren County. I remember the story to be that the family moved to New York to get jobs on some type of pipeline. They stayed several years then all moved back to Missouri.

The snow must have been a novelty for these Arkansas natives as most of the photos labeled as being in New York include snow.

Leonard BAUDERMANN was born in Baden, Germany in 1840 according to the 1870 Federal census. I have Leonard's arrival to the US with his family in 1852 at the Port of New York. The ship's passenger list for the British Bark Anna Morka lists an 11 year old Leonard with his parents Wendelin and Appolonia HEMMER and siblings Michael, Mathilda, Maria, Julianna and Appolonia.

In the 1870 Federal census Leonard is listed as a butcher with his first wife Magdelina Theresia HELLINGER and 3 of their 9 children! After Magdelina's death, Leonard married Maria Carolina LUCKING and had an additional 6 children!

The North American Vital Records Index shows the BAUDERMANN children were christened in either the St. Mary's Catholic Church in Newark, Essex, New Jersey or in St. Augustine Catholic Church in Newark, Essex, New Jersey.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

I am so excited and thankful to Karen at Ancestor Soup for my nomination. It is very rewarding to know someone besides myself is reading my blog. Keeping company with so many other great bloggers is also very satisfying.

To continue the pay-it-forward aspect of this award, I must tell you seven things about myself and then add my nominations for the Kreative Blogger Award.

1. I've never considered myself a writer, I talk a LOT better than I write!

2. The genealogy blogging community is surprisingly close. The other bloggersare friendly and helpful. Thank you for patiently answering my questions!

3. In the past five years I have visited the Family History Library in Salt Lake City two times! Can you say awesome!?!

4. I love genealogy conferences! I have attended one national and one state conference. Nothing will jump-start your research like several hundred other people with the same interest as you in the one location.

5. Genealogy podcast hosts are some real gems! Don't worry guys I'm not a stalker but I am addicted to listening!

6. Blogging, tweeting and posting on Facebook are big distractions from my research.

and lastly...

7. My name is Jenna and I lack citations! I have entries in my genealogy database program that do not have source citations! A truly beginners mistake that I am working to correct!

Now to continue with the spirit of this award. I would like to submit nominations for the following blogs to receive the Kreative Blogger Award!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Sadly, I never asked my Dad about his time in the Army during WW II. I knew he was in the Army Signal Corps and spent his time overseas but I wasn't even sure where. After his passing I found his letter of discharge from the Army and that did provide me with valuable information. In addition to the standard facts of birth date, location, place of enlistment and place of separation, I focused in on a couple of areas of the form. One being the permanent address listed

Amhurst, Nebraska. This is very odd as after 1930 I did not know that anyone from my Dad's family was left in Nebraska. My Dad was discharged from the Army in 1945. That is an item I will have to do more research on. The next area that answered many of my questions is the sections for Battles and Campaigns. This is where I found out my Dad had spent his time in Africa, Italy and France!

I was curious to know more and wrote to the National Personnel Center and included a copy of my Dad's discharge papers. I requested detailed service records. The letter I received was a little disappointing. The National Personnel Center didn't even have his discharge papers due to the fire there in 1973, however, theywere glad I had provided them with a copy! The letter went onto say they had forwarded my letter to a division of the Army, but I should not expect any better results. They were wrong!

Three months later I received an envelope from the Department of the Army. Enclosed were copies of historical data on the 1005th Signal Company. While there was no reference to specific individuals it was an overview of the movements of the 1005th. A particular entry caught my eye as it mentioned the 1005th Signal Co is entitled to battle honors from the Tunisia campaign. As I read further I found two similar entries. This was exciting but after going through all of the Dad's boxes again I did not find any type of medals. I shouldn't have spent the time looking for them. About two weeks later a box arrived from the Department of the Army containing reissued medals that my father had received!

Friday, November 6, 2009

Thoughts of Friday night football games bring back great memories! My son played while I stalked the sidelines taking photos. I was usually too excited or nervous to ever sit in the stands.

Senior night was a bittersweet highlight at the end of the season. As the seniors were honored it began to dawn on them that this is it. The days of playing under the Friday night lights were at an end.

The boys have now gone on to college, the military and employment careers. I sure do miss the high school games, they were always so exciting! Thanks for some great memories!

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